Digging the AAC

[lowmagnet]

I have almost finished re-encoding my entire collection to AAC 128. The sound is great, and the payoff is more songs on my iPod!

I was a bit skeptical at first, until I read the design goal behind AAC: CD Quality (Mono) at 64kbps & (Stereo) 128kbps.

In other words, a psycho-acoustic model for high quality streaming, and high quality archival at 192 kbps (in my estimation)

Thank you, Quicktime team!

[lluisb]

Hi, lowmagnet!

I want to ask you if you've encoded your tracks from the original source (CD?) to the new AAC format, or just re-encoded your mp3 from iTunes. If so, did you found any apreciable degradation?

I'm asking cause I tried to re-encode some of my tracks on iTunes, from 160kps mp3 to 128 AAC, and although I first was very sceptical I found the results very good, and I can't apreciate any significant lost with my SR60 Grado's attached to my PowerBook.

I found this method less annoying than encoding (again, one by one!) all CDs I've already stored on iTunes/iPod.

Thanks!

Cheers!

[SamHain]

Most of my collection is 320kb var mp3 of my 13,000+ songs I keep 3,000 handy on the pod and keep adding from there. I used itunes to transcode from mp3 to 128k AAC and listen after listen I can BARELY tell a difference. So what I did was grabbed my 30-40 most favorite CD's and reripped those and left the others alone. I'm sure not getting 500 CD's out and reencoding everything. Not until there's an easy way to do the MAC format on a PC. ( I have 1 MAC Powerbook and 4 PC's so I could get 4 machines ripping to get it done quicker)

[Kesh]

I've only got about 100 CDs, about half of them re-ripped to AAC now. Gotta say, I love it. Used to put everything in 192 Kb/sec MP3, but I can do 128 AAC with no loss of quality that I can detect.

[harry]

Originally posted by lluisb

I'm asking cause I tried to re-encode some of my tracks on iTunes, from 160kps mp3 to 128 AAC, and although I first was very sceptical I found the results very good, and I can't apreciate any significant lost with my SR60 Grado's attached to my PowerBook.

I found this method less annoying than encoding (again, one by one!) all CDs I've already stored on iTunes/iPod.

Thanks!

Cheers!

How do you encode from MP3 to AAC using iTunes? I'm still getting used to iTunes and can't find the instructions in the help files. It would be VERY nice to be able to do it this way. Otherwise I'm going to have to take a vacation day and re-encode everything one CD at a time... 2500 songs would take awhile. :(

[lluisb]

To do that encoding, just select the tracks you want to convert, go to "Advanced" on the Menu, and select "Convert selection to ACC" (or "... to AIFF", etc, whatever file tipe you've selected on iTunes preferences. That's all!

Have a nice time!

[harry]

Thanks for the help lluisb :) When ever I looked in the advanced tab all I saw was encode MP3. It didn't dawn on me to change the encoding method to AAC and then go back and re-encode. I'm going to do all of my MP3's tonight when I get home from work. I'll post how long it takes.

[lluisb]

Hi, harry!

As I understand (my english is below medium level, sorry!), you can't manage to convert mp3 to AAC. Isn't it?

First of all, you must have iTunes 4 & QuickTime 6.2. Then, go to "preferences". There, select "importing", and just choose AAC at whatever rates you prefer (I found 128kps very convenient).

Now, when you go to "Advanced" in the menu (After selecting any tracks you want to re-rip) you must see "Convert Selection to AAC".

Anyway, this procedure takes long time, but you don't must be by your computer changing CDs every 5 minutes.

Good luck!

[lowmagnet]

Originally posted by lluisb
I want to ask you if you've encoded your tracks from the original source (CD?) to the new AAC format, or just re-encoded your mp3 from iTunes. If so, did you found any apreciable degradation?

I re-ripped from CD directly, because of the issues with decode/encode from MP3 to AAC.

[lowmagnet]

Also, I found another thing that can seriously help your ripping/encoding:

Rip each cd to AIFF format, and check the track names, ID3 info, etc. You will have, say, a few dozen CDs ripped to your system. This will be several gigs, since a CD is up to 700MB in AIFF format.

Once you have everything ripped to AIFF, select the AAC ripper in the preferences menu. Then select all your AIFF files (it helps to turn on the kind column in the library view), and select 'Advanced; Convert to AAC'

The system will convert every file you selected to AAC overnight at about 8x or greater speed, and you don't have to attend the disc drive as long swapping discs (since the 'rip' stage will be about 20x+)

[Sam Williams]

Great idea, lowmagnet... I'll certainly use this next time I have a batch of discs to rip; thanks :-)

[povvy]

I'm personally keeping all of my current ripped 192kbps MP3's as they are. I am, however, ripping new CD's I get as 160kbps AAC's. I have enough disk space where I really don't need to worry about saving much by re-ripping my entire library to AAC.

Patrick.

[SamHain]

I transcoded mine from mp3 (320kbit var) to 128 AAC, my 800 mhz titanium powerbook did them on average at 8x and my 17" Powerbook did them @ 11-12x. I had a couple of issues with a few songs having a staticy sound running in them. Found like 3 of them so far like that. I wonder if my PC had something going on with it at the time that taxed the CPU and caused this. Anyway, when I found songs like that, I didn't bother redoing them, I just grabbed the original CD and reripped it, but I haven't had to many like that yet. I'm thinking of just saying screw it and reencoding my favorite stuff and/or the whole collection @ 160 AAC. Mebbe when i'm bored :rolleyes:

[pank2002]

I just started making some test samples today (the 1st track from LOTR:TTT), and i love aac/mp4. However I have a question for winni users: which is better the nero aac plugin - i havnt realy tried it out yet, or the PsyTEL dos program. It encoded with it today @ alt-preset-extreme/normal/streaming, so far i like normal best - it sound transparent (with the apple earbuds :p). The normal has a average 173kbps. The PsyTEL also go faster the the Nero. But which encoder is better nero or PsyTEL ?
BTW: isnt it the same dude who made both plugins ?

Thanks
Rasmus

[jasperstory]

is the supposedly soon to be released aac plus going to be supported on the ipod... and if so... whats the point in re-encoding all ur collection when the much improved aac plus is coming out soon :confused: